Heading out Part II

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:12 pm

Taking off to the North Cascades next Wednesday, anyone have any comments on the Goodell creek Camp?

http://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/c ... JUMP_70457

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:32 am

Yikes you may not get far with the snow level...tons out there already and supposed to drop below 1000' this weekend.
Call the local ranger district before your trip so you can plan a destination. Ask about open roads, you may be limited. North Cascades are some pretty high and rugged peaks but you should be able to find something in a river bottom that's accessible. Good luck! You're a brave man to be headin out there so early, I can't even get out into the Clacky yet due to snow.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 5:48 pm

Good call. We are going to camp in the low country by Diablo Lake. Supposed to be mid sixties and sunny there all next week. We are taking Bill again but we wanted to take the kayak to take advantage of the beautiful lake up there. So....we had to go drop some coin on a rack set up, we already had a few of the pieces and luckily Thule makes a 11" high tower to clear the pop top.

Making our food list and I fixed the sticky hinges on the westy bed, can't wait to get out of here.

deschutestrout · Post by **deschutestrout** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:39 pm

Rack looks good! So, you fixed the hinges that gave us grief at our last camp spot? Just a good oiling or did you have to disassemble schtuf?

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:00 pm

deschutestrout wrote:Rack looks good! So, you fixed the hinges that gave us grief at our last camp spot? Just a good oiling or did you have to disassemble schtuf?

I put the good ol liquid wrench w/ spray tube to it and let it soak. Sprayed some more and moved the hinges to and fro and they are working a lot better now. Just needed a bit of love like we thought, nothing worse then a stubborn bed when you want to hit the hay.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:04 pm

Finally went and got a nice Lodge 10" Dutch Oven (with legs, thanks for the tip fellas) Plan to have some kick a** stew and other goodies for this trip. Gonna do the tin foil in the fire pit meals, I think I owe Mark a box of tin foil from the last trip

How often are you guys refilling your small propane tanks? Wondering if the use from the last trip would require a refill, I am guessing no but I would hate to be wrong.

deschutestrout · Post by **deschutestrout** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:15 pm

Oughta last a while. I'd say bring a spare throw-away bottle just in case and see how long your fuel lasts. I'd 'spect you'd get 3 or 4 campin' trips out of it...if not more.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:59 pm

Cool, I was kinda hoping that the tank would not need constant refilling.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:23 am

I use the Coleman white gas with one of those portable backpack stoves, usually go thru 1 can in the summer. You guys have a nice setup with the propane stoves tho. Must be nice having 2 burners. But you wouldn't have the fun of spilling gas all over yourself! I kinda like the way it smells.
One advantage, it is less trouble to setup and deal with. I get to sit back and have a beer and watch all you guys run around setting up all yer gear!

You know what would be fun? An IAC backpack trip. Would you guys be up for it?

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:04 am

I could be involved with that, although I don't have the gear anymore for that kind of fun. Ever since we got the buses we have catered our camping for those. Can't see why I would take the dutch oven on a backpack trip, unless Stephan is our pack mule.

Yeah, our set up takes about 15 minutes to complete and sometimes I wish we had a 'camplite' version. I kind of enjoy the set up part though, it is a Zen thing. You know, making yerself a little nest out in the wilderness.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:12 am

There's a place in Portland that rents backpacks really cheaply. Or get a used external frame for $20 like we did. You're too young to get soft!

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:28 am

hambone wrote:There's a place in Portland that rents backpacks really cheaply. Or get a used external frame for $20 like we did. You're too young to get soft!

I have the backpack but I am without all the other nice and light goodies.

Obviously too old to chop wood anymore, my back is still bugging me a little from that event.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:29 am

Do you think I'm high-tech??? Not needed!

Think like John Muir, a blanket in the wilderness.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:50 am

Ha ha...okay, so I just need a book of matches, poncho, and beano?

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:45 pm

BAH!!! %$#@

The Colonial Creek Campground is open but under a foot or so of snow from last weekends storm. Plans' on hold. Dammit.

This weather is starting to drive me mad.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Heading out Part II

Heading out Part II